Book Ends
by Nymphadora
Summary: Ron and Hermione have been dancing around a relationship for years now, trying not to admit their feelings. Finally, one of them has snapped, and things will never be the same. RWHG with a bit of HPGW.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Oh yeah, bet you didn't know J.K.R. was an American teenager. Right, if I owned anything but a laptop and a library card I could afford a better disclaimer.

Book Ends

Ronald Weasley was not the most confident person in the world. He had always been bullocks at anything even came remotely close to sappy, emotional stuff, or anything that put him in the spotlight at all. In class he sort of pretended that he wasn't quite as smart as he really was just so people wouldn't expect anything of him. Well, that and it gave him an excuse to ask for Hermione's help. His Hermione. He loved watching her work. It gave him the perfect opportunity to study all of the little details about her; how she raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips whenever he misspelled a words or misquoted some well-known fact. Sometimes he even did it on purpose, just to watch her eyes light up when she spotted some small error. She looked like she was Julius Caesar or Napoleon or something, drunk with the conquest.

She had all these little quirks that he had noticed over the past few years. She shook her foot when she was reading something that she found especially fascinating, but what intrigued him most about Hermione was the delicate way she did things when she thought no one was looking. She abandoned her aggressive, ambitious manner for something else. He couldn't place it, but sometimes she reminded Ron of a fairy, not the real ones, but the ones Muggles told stories about, the way her rebellious curls fell out of the sloppy bun she wore at night. He supressed the urge to reach over and brush them out of her eyes. She was always so strong, a firecracker. He loved to get her all riled up, but it was so refreshing to see this side of her. It was gentle, and innocent. It drew him to her, and made his hands shake and his breath grow ragged. But tonight, all of that was going to have to be pushed aside. Ron might not be too sure of himself, but there was one thing he was completely sure of. He couldn't go one more day wondering what it would feel like to be more. For years he had watched her blossom from a mousey little girl to a beautiful young woman. And, if there was one thing Ron had realized in his years at school it was that he couldn't do anything without her, and he swore to himself that he would never let any other bloke brush those curls away, he finally knew what he had been missing all this time. She was his match, his perfect woman. Nothing else made a fire burn in his chest and sent shivers down his spine like she did, and he was determined now to make sure that terrifying, wonderful sensation never left him. So, tonight, he would do whatever he needed to do, but one thing was certain, before midnight, Hermione Granger would be his.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Hermione Granger was sitting in her favorite squashy arm chair in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, reading a particularly fascinating book about famous wizarding pirates of the sixteenth century. It was one of those very rare occasions that she had the common room completely to herself. Well...Ron was there, but at least he was being quiet. She paused. Something was missing...ah, yes. She conjured herself a cup of tea, just the way she liked it, cream and lots of sugar. Life just didn't get better than this. Ron was acting very oddly, though. He was just sitting there, watching her like he was expecting her to turn somersaults.

"Do you have another essay you want me to look over?" Hermione asked as sweetly and nonchalantly as she could, without letting her best friend know how uncomfortable he was making her.

"No." he said simply, never even blinking. His steady gaze and half smile were as intact as before. "You...you look... nice, Hermione." He stuttered out, looking rather proud of himself. Hermione noticed that his ears were significantly redder thn she had ever seen them before. She smiled to herself, thanking Merlin that Ron could only see her eyes and forehead past the enormous book on her lap.

"Thank you, Ron...why do you...I mean...what's going on?" Hermione asked, suddenly very suspicious of his intentions. He must have been failing something...or perhaps she had contracted some horrible jungle virus and only had a few more minutes to live...

"I just... thought I should start telling you that more often. I don't think you hear it often enough from me. You're quite pretty, you know that?" Ron's voice was steadying, but his ears looked like tea kettles about to go super nova.

"Actually, I don't recall ever hearing that from you. Ronald Weasley, what has gotten into you? Have Fred and George gone and shipped you firewhiskey again?" Hermione asked, half giggling.

"Put the book down, 'Mione. We need to talk. I think this conversation has been put off long enough." Hermione lowered her book slowly, trying to read his expression. This couldn't be what she thoought it was. She supressed the urge to slap herself. She had been dreaming about a moment rather like this since she was twelve, and if the conversation ended with, "so, do you fancy a game of wizard chess?", she might have to castrate him with a large blunt object.

"Ron...where exactly is this going?" she tried to hide the fearful excitement in her eyes. "I...did you want some tea? Here, let me just get-"

"Hermione, just shut up and let me get this out, I've been trying to work up the nerve to say this since before I hit puberty...I...I...I...um...I like you. As a girl I mean. I always have, and I always knew you were a girl, I just didn't want you to find out I liked you that way, beacause I thought it might change things, and I know how smart you are, well actually, I'm not as daft as you think, I just didn't want you to forget about me, that and I love to watch you study, especially when you're correcting things, the way your mouth gets all little and pursed, and you lift up that one eyebrow...and Hermione...I... well, I'm bloody well in love with you, I always have been. Please don't hate me." Ron looked like he wanted to chop off his own head.

"Right, then, sorry..." He turned to leave, looking humiliated. Hermione realized that she had been staring at him with her jaw hanging very unattractively wide open. She sprang to her feet.

"Ron!" he shook his head, not turning around. "Ronald Weasley, you turn around and look at me this instant!" he obeyed reluctantly. He looked down at her rather sheepishly. "Don't you dare turn chicken on me now, I've been longing for this moment for six years now, and I won't have you ruining it for me." She yelled. His eyes grew wide.

"Hermione...you mean you..." he trailed off, seemingly dumbfounded. Hermione pulled herself up to the fullest height she could muster, which was rather pathetic next to Ron, who was well over six feet tall.

"Yes, you rotten prat, I love you too, I have from the moment I saw your grimy little face on the train, and I've been trying to impress you since, now..." she felt herself starting to tear up. Ron brought a shaky hand to her face, lifting her chin. He used his thumb to wipe away a tear. When had Ron become a man?

"Now... please don't ever let me see you with another bloke for the rest of our lives...will you...will you be my girlfriend? Please?" She saw his deep blue eyes filling with tears as his even voice finally broke. Hermione's heart broke with it.

"I'll be anything you want me to be." she sobbed out. He pulled her up into the most passionate first kiss ever shared by any couple in the history of the wizarding world.

"Oh, god..." they heard someone whimper from the top of the girls' staircase. "That's better than anything in Mum's books!" Hermione and Ron turned an identical shade of scarlet. Ginny laughed tearfully. "Oh, c'mon, really, it's about damn time you two, though it does mean Harry wins the bet. I thought it would take at least one more near-death experience before you two would realize how much you can't live without each other." Ron looked torn between about eight different emotions. "So, when's the wedding?" Ginny asked, regaining her composure.

"How about you let me take her on a few dates first, Gin?" Ron laughed, taking it more gracefully than Hermione ever would have expected, which didn't help the feeling that this was all some dream, and she would wake up to the buzzing of her magically-altered alarm clock.

There will be more chapters, assuming somebody actually reads this one. :( tear Please review, free puppies to all reviewers!


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Ron and Hermione still stood in the common room. Ginny had run off to find Harry, now slightly teary. Ron smiled and reached for Hermione's hand. She blushed a little. It was so strange, Ron being her boyfriend. She giggled softly, which surprised both of them, Hermione didn't think she had done that since preschool. It was truly a very un-Hermione-like thing to do. Ron leaned down and closed the gap between them a second time. Things were just getting interesting when Parvati, Dean, and Seamus burst through the portrait whole. Parvati shrieked and started jumping up and down, clapping. Seamus and Dean stood there gaping at each other, then grinned at Ron.

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Parvati exclaimed, still clapping. She looked rather like a Muggle battery commercial Hermione had seen once while on holiday in America. "We had a bet going as to when you two would finally get together. We started it back in second year. The whole house was in on it, well, except Lavender, but Harry guessed it down to the day." She beamed at both of them. Seamus and Dean chuckled, patted Ron on the back, and headed over to a table to play Exploding Snap.

"Apparently Ginny ran into them on her way to Harry." Hermione laughed, they should've known this wouldn't stay a secret long once Ginny got her hands on it. After a few minutes of feeling like goldfish, Ron suggested they go for a walk by the lake to avoid any more ambushes from their classmates. Hermione agreed whole-heartedly. As they headed for the exit however, they realized they may have been a bit late. Ron made a mental note that if there was ever an attack on the castle, Ginny would be his first choice to sound the alarm. They had almost reached the portrait hole, when they were accosted by a mob of Gryffindors, all of whom were clapping and cheering. Ron had a fleeting thought that this must be how it felt to be Harry. He would never be jealous again. Harry pushed his way to the front of the crowd, and pulled them into a very tight group hug, kissing them both on the cheeks. This made Ron very uncomfortable, he decided to just pretend he was being attacked by brains again, which made a much better story anyway. Harry grinned at them somewhat hysterically.

"Thank God, Ron! I thought you were going to be a virgin forever, mate." Harry laughed and slapped him on the back. Ron would have been embarrassed had something not entered his mind at that moment.

"And you're not?" Ron asked, looking between Harry and Ginny expectantly. Ginny turned on her heel and walked away briskly. The crowd started letting out catcalls as she left. Ron's eyes widened.

"Harry! Tell me you didn't sleep with my innocent little baby sister!" Ron's ears were getting redder by the second, and the color seemed to be spreading to the rest of his body. Harry looked down at his feet, smirking. Ginny must have heard, because she turned around on the staircase. She whistled loudly.

"Hey! Everybody, No way is Harry getting the credit for this. I seduced HIM! I took advantage of Harry, not the other way around. By the way, Harry, we should really talk about that...mind if we talk alone for a sec?" Ron couldn't make out what Ginny said after that, he may have just been in shock, though. After a moment, however, it was no longer any need for anyone present to guess, because Harry suddenly looked as though his head might just roll right off of his neck. He grew very pale and his eyes went sort of blank.

"You...you're what...you're... pregnant?" He stuttered. Ron's anger waned away as he saw a small tear escape down his best mate's cheek. Harry stepped forward and held Ginny close. He stroked her hair tenderly.

"It's okay, I'll take care of you, Gin. I promise, no one's going to hurt you...or the baby. It's okay..." Ron looked over, Hermione was crying silently into his shoulder. Harry already had the responsibility of saving the world, now this too? He pitied him, for the first time in his life, Ron felt bad for Harry Potter, the Chosen One, the Boy-Who-Lived.


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny had not meant for Harry to find out like that. She had planned everything out, she would take him out by the lake, sit him down, and talk gently, and...well, she didn't know after that. How do you tell a seventeen-year-old guy that he's going to be a father? Especially Harry Potter, who was already expected to save the world from Voldemort. Harry was amazing, and proved it yet again. He was shocked, to say the least, but took it gracefully, and held her close, promising to keep her and the baby safe. She was always so impressed with how well he handled stressful situations. He had smiled at her, and been very sweet, and so understanding. He would be a wonderful father. She smiled. After all those years of loving him, watching him from afar...she was having Harry Potter's child. Her heart warmed. Even if she was only sixteen, even if she would be looked down upon by the wizarding community, she was in love with Harry Potter, and they were going to be a family. She wouldn't have chosen things to go this way three months ago, but know that they had, she wouldn't change a thing. Hermione had come to see her. She had been very concerned about her. She had asked what they were going to do, how they would raise a baby with school and the war, and everything else. She offered to help any way she could. Ginny couldn't think of anything off the top of her head, but thanked her very much anyway, and promised to let her know if she needed anything. Ginny closed the curtains of her four poster bed and lay back. She thought about sneaking up to the boys' dormitories to see how Harry was doing, but decided that he could probably use the time to think. She wondered if he was really as calm and collected as he had acted downstairs...

Part 2

Harry Potter was scared shitless. That was the only way he could think of describing the wave of sheer terror that had overcome him upon finding out that he had gotten Ginny pregnant. His best mate's sister. His best mate's younger, ONLY sister...and he thought Voldemort was scary. Ginny was the only girl in a very large family of overprotective, hot-tempered, very strong men. Yes...Harry Potter was a dead man. Any second now Ron would come storming up the stairs, wand...no probably chainsaw in hand, and he would rip him limb from limb. He had always thought he'd die a noble, heroic death, but alas...he was going to be murdered by his best friend and his twelve million brothers. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and slamming shut. _Oh shit...here it comes._ Harry braced himself for what was coming next.

"Hey mate, how... you alright?" Ron asked softly. Harry hadn't been expecting this reaction.

"Ron...you aren't mad at me?" Harry asked, a little incredulous.

"No, Ginny's a big girl. I'm sure she had just as much to do with it as you did, perhaps even a bit more." He laughed a little. "Besides, you'll take care of her, I know you will. You take care of all of us. Ginny loves you, she always has. I'm just glad it was you and not Dean or that Michael guy." Ron said. Harry was in awe. He had never seen his best friend act this mature. Ron had always been so hot-headed. He considered checking his pocket sneak-o-scope to see if his suspicions were justified. He decided that he was being ridiculous.

"Umm...thanks mate, really. I needed that." Harry said sincerely, almost smiling. Ron's eyes darkened slightly.

"I hope I don't have to witness what happens when you two tell Mum." Ron said, amused. He patted Harry on the back sympathetically. Without another word, Ron rolled into his own four poster bed and closed the drapes. Harry's stomach lurched. Today had been equivelent to a Muggle roller coaster ride. He understood, there was no need for Ron to waste energy murdering Harry. That would be well taken care of before long. Harry concentrated on not wetting his pants as premonitions of Mrs. Weasley's reaction played in his mind. This would be a long nine months.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione felt very bad for Harry and Ginny. Part of her argued passionately that it wasn't enough that Harry was responsible for the lives and well being of millions upon millions of people, now he had a child to worry about too. This little one would become Voldemort's chief target before he or she was ever born. And Ginny...she was so young, and she still had nearly two years of school left. How was she to raise a child too? Her larger, more rational side told her that it had been highly irresponsible of them to get involved like that when they already had so many heavy burdens to carry. Harry, her best friend...he was going to be a father. In a strange way, though, despite all of the negative evidence, she was happy for them. They were one of those couples you just knew were destined to be together. They always had a fire that radiated from them when they were around each other. It had been evident from the start that there was no one else for either of them. Their childish ways of avoiding their feelings had subsided, though, rather quickly at that. Harry had done what ws possibly the most romantic thing any man had ever done to let a girl know how he felt. He scooped her up into a full-fledged Hollywood kiss, without a word or a sign. Hermione sighed. Her boys really had come a long way. They had both turned into such sensitive, caring, lovable young men. Well...at least when it mattered most they came through. It had proven to be quite a night for all of them. Ron had finally asked her the question she had been waiting to hear since she was twelve years old. He was her's, and only her's...for as long as he would have her. For all of Hermione's confidence and accomplishments, she was utterly terrified of the day when Ron would see her for what she was...a shy, unimportant little bookworm. Hermione Granger had spent her entire life hiding who she was. She didn't start out loving books, as a matter of fact, she had had a mild learning disability as a child. The other children always made fun of her, called her stupid. It was at the tender age of eight that Hermione made the oath. She remembered the day so vividly that it was as though it had only been a moment ago. She had run crying into the village chapel one afternoon, after a particularly traumatizing day. She had thrown herself on the floor in front of the altar and promised to dedicate her life to standing up for those in need if God would help her read and write, and do her schoolwork. Her little spirits had been rekindled in a way she had never thought possible. She had discovered a way of becoming impervious to the taunts and insults of others. She spent every moment of every day working on her studies. She moved from the bottom of her class to the top in one year's time. After that her books became her refuge, her best friends. Hermione had discovered the secret to guarding her heart. Books could never change their minds, they were always predictable, and always there. A book would never forsake you, and if you weren't satisfied with how things were going, you just closed it's pages. Books kept you in constant control of the situation at hand. Love wasn't like that. The moment she laid eyes on Ronald Weasley, she felt the very foundations of her sanctuary start to shake. This continued until, when the dust finally cleared, the gawky boy that had once stood before her was no more. In his stead was a man, a man who had stolen Hermione's fragile heart and brought her out of her shell.

Coming out of her nostalgia, Hermione decided to go see how Ginny was faring. She didn't think it was an easy thing to live with. Harry thought it was hard being the "Chosen One"...Hermione couldn't imagine the emotional stamina it would take to be carrying his child. Harry's child...it was still such a foreign concept. Ginny had always had a maternal air about her. She was more like her mother han she'd ever admit. It wasn't hard to see Ginny as a parent, she kind of always had been, what with all of those brothers that thought she was the one in need of protection. She worried and fretted and mothered everyone around her. Ginny was born for this, but not Harry. Harry had never gotten to be a child himself. Hermione hoped things would work out better than they had so far. She opened the door to the sixth year girls' dormitories. Ginny's bed was surrounded by her roomates. She had the curtains closed, and apparently had put up sealing and silencing charms around them. Hermione was in no mood for a strip of worn velvet to get in her way. With a wave of her wand, the curtains flew back violently. Satisfied, Hermione walked through the swarm of girls and perched next to Ginny on the bed. She then put the charms back up, with a few extras just to be on the safe side.

"Okay, Gin, let's talk. When did this happen?" Hermione asked assertively.

"Well, now, you don't waste any time, do you?" Ginny asked, almost laughing. "All right, if you must know, it was the night before Harry went off with Dumbledore. I had a feeling something was coming, so I went up to his dormitory to see him. He looked troubled. I tried to console him, and I guess I succeeded. One thing led to another...and...well, this happened." Ginny gestured to her stomach, which was just barely larger than normal. Hermione hadn't even noticed any change. Ginny smiled, tears in her eyes. "Don't feel bad, 'Mione. I'm rather glad of it actually, not that I planned it, but...I mean...we all hope that Harry comes out of this alive, me more than anyone...But, if...if something were to happen, it's like I'll always have a part of him with me. Hermione, I just...I've always wanted children, and I wouldn't have them by anyone else. I love him...I love Harry with every ounce of my soul. I have since I was ten years old. I saw him, and I just...I fell in love with him. I wanted to take care of him, to belong to him. And now I have that chance." Ginny was crying in earnest by now. Hermione felt herself losing control as well. She hugged her friend close.

"I know exactly how you feel." Hermione sniffed. Ginny pulled away. She laughed through her tears.

"I always wanted a sister, you know." Ginny chuckled, still in semi-hysterical sobs. Hermione raised one eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Oh please, you think Ron'll ever let you go now that he has you? I remember once he threw every last knut he had into the wishing well in Hogsmeade. You know what he said? He said "Give me Hermione, that's it, that's all I want." Harry and I saw him. He doesn't know, but we saw. He wants to marry you, I know it." Ginny's voice was getting steadier.

"So you're all right? Nothing I can do?" Hermione asked, smiling. Ginny nodded.

"I'm great, and...no, I can't think of anything, but thanks." Ginny was smiling broadly. Hermione nodded and left her to her thoughts. She decided that this was a good time to go check on Ron. With all that had happened, he might be in need of some consoling.


	6. Chapter 6

Ron sat on his bed, within the shelter of his velvet curtains. It was nearly morning. He couldn't bring himself to check on Ginny. He was positively terrified for her. He had been worried when she was just his little sister. Even then she had been a target. Voldemort had seen fit to possess her before she was the love of Harry's life. Now she was the mother of his child. It was too much. How could Harry go on hunting for Horcruxes with a family to worry about? Ron had been angry at first. He had thought about tearing Harry apart for defiling his baby sister like that. But, after a moment's thought, and after seeing the way Harry had held her to him, putting his own worries and fears aside, Ron had realized that it was more than that. They weren't just a teenage fling. Harry and Ginny were older than their faces said. And honestly speaking, it was entirely possible that they wouldn't have a lifetime to spend together. He could understand their need to share as much of themselves as they could before…well, before the worst had a chance to happen. Ron shook off his morbid thoughts and took a swig of the firewhiskey he had been drowning his sorrows in over the past hour. He kept it for special occasions, and after the night he had had, he thought it only appropriate.

Ron vaguely noticed the sound of a door opening and closing. He assumed it was Harry returning from pacing the common room. Ron raised his bottle again, and was surprised to find that it wasn't Harry at all. His curtains opened, and there stood Hermione Granger. Ron was filled with the pleasant, bubbly sensation that always accompanied her arrival, followed by intense and unsurpassed fear at the realization that her narrowed eyes were resting on the object in his left hand.

"Hermione…it's…well it is what it looks like, but…well…I'm of age." He explained sheepishly. Hermione looked from Ron to the bottle, and plopped down on the bed next to him. She rested her head on his chest and let the tears flow. Ron felt terrible. "I'm sorry; I'll get rid of it. I'll never drink again. Just…please don't cry. Hermione smiled slightly, a rough laugh escaping.

"It's not that. I don't care if you drink. Well…I do, but tonight it's okay. It's just so hard to fathom. Harry and Ginny are having a baby. How can it be that yesterday we were kids and today our best friends are grown-ups? It happened so fast. We're not children anymore. I mean, we're fighting Voldemort; people our age are having kids themselves, and above all else, we have to get jobs in less than a year and I have no idea what I want to do with my life!" Ron laughed out loud at this.

"Hermione, sweetheart, I still think you should try to sort out your priorities a bit." Ron chuckled. "And about what you should do with your life, with you're brains, talent, determination, and charmingly bossy disposition, I would start with world domination and work my way up." Hermione slapped his arm playfully. "Well, that and marrying me of course."

"You're drunk." Hermione said, flustered.

"No I'm not. And don't worry, I'm not asking you…yet." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him quizzically. His hand shook as he brushed a stray curl out of her eyes. Her hair was so much softer than he'd thought it would be. He kissed her gently. She grinned at him.

"Oh sod it, give me some of that." Hermione took the bottle from his hand and gracefully downed about half of what was left, allowing herself only a small cough. Ron 's jaw dropped.

"That's my girl."

A/N

Thanks to all of my reviewers. I know you probably don't love me anymore. Sorry about the long wait. Thanks to rubber glove for the reminder. So…should I continue?


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